Chapter 85: Edith's Expectations

Volume 4: Ghost Hotel

Julian sat down in the tenth row of Screening Room Five. He had no absolute confidence in securing Nyterel's notebook, but he had to try. He couldn't leave Donna to her own devices. Though they appeared distant, he knew she wasn't wrong. Neither was he.

The only mistake... was that Hell's Thirteenth Degree Cinema was still too weak. This realization fueled his intense desire to obtain the parchment from Ghost Ritual 3 .

Edith took the seat beside him and said, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Julian pressed his lips together tightly, unsure how to respond.

"Do you really think I can't guess? You traded the voodoo doll for Nyterel's notebook, knowing 'the Man' desires it. Clearly, this is about Donna. You didn't tell me because you feared I wouldn't understand?"

Julian interlaced his fingers and, after a long pause, replied, "Filming these true horror films is brutally harsh. Before I acquired my first cursed object, I nearly died several times myself. In Ghost Ritual 2 , I even died once. Many actors like Xu Lan, Wang Feng, Zhang Nuo, and Yichuan perished in those horrors. Today, we have some means of self-preservation thanks to our initial cursed objects, allowing us to gradually increase their number through trades with other cinemas. We've managed to grow, but... we are still too weak."

Edith, hearing his words, couldn't help but recall those harrowing times. Without cursed objects, one could die at any moment in a horror film. Human life, so precious, yet often snuffed out as easily as grass.

"I swore to survive with those who trusted me and stood by my side... to live. This is my greatest wish! For this, I will spare no effort. Only by arming ourselves can we truly protect ourselves in horror films. That is when I can fulfill my vow. Carrying this burden, my choices must be deliberate."

After a prolonged silence, Edith spoke again, "I understand. Survival is inherently cruel. Without power, death in horror films is inevitable. Your actions are not wrong."

She then stood up.

"Come back alive. If you manage to get that notebook, give it... to Donna."

With that, Edith walked toward the exit of the screening room.

Moments ago, she heard familiar names—Xu Lan, Wang Feng, Zhang Nuo, and Yichuan...

Sun Yichuan, Julian's former best friend, always seemed rough around the edges but undeniably tough. Back then, Julian was the only one with a cursed object, making it impossible to lend it out freely. As a result, many died in horror films until they began accumulating more cursed objects. Throughout this struggle, Julian's hardships were evident to Edith.

Back then, Julian, Sun Yichuan, and Edith were the cinema's strongest trio. Job and Carol hadn't joined yet. Each mission carried a sense of tragic resolve. Yichuan, always laughing heartily, would tear into chicken legs and drink soju, declaring, "My fate is strong; even the King of Hell might hesitate to take me! Edith, you're next filming The Fourth Forbidden Zone . Bring back your spiritual medium abilities! I'll be filming another new movie simultaneously, and I swear I'll come back alive!"

Edith, taking a sip of soju, clinked glasses with him, saying, "Alright! I'll return as a spiritual medium. Then, the three of us will truly be Hell's Thirteenth Degree Cinema's triumvirate! Haha, Yichuan, look after Donna. She has great potential and is worth nurturing."

"Absolutely. I'll bring her back! Or else, I'll write my name backward!"

Edith fulfilled her promise, enduring near-death experiences to return to the cinema. But she received news of Yichuan's demise.

She couldn't show him she had kept her word.

With her spiritual medium abilities, the cinema acquired more cursed objects, growing stronger over time. They now had talented actors like Donna, Job, and Hank—an unimaginable achievement before. Despite the gap with other cinemas, they had begun to arm themselves, gaining the ability to protect each other and fight for survival. But Yichuan would never see this day.

"Edith, are you crying?" Martin, walking beside her, noticed the tears in Edith's eyes.

"No," she wiped her eyes and turned away. "It's just the dim light playing tricks on your eyes."

Allen approached, looking at the seated actors in the screening room. He turned to Edith, asking, "Edith, is it common for actors from different cinemas to trade like this?"

"Yes, very common. Besides cursed objects, selling intelligence is also prevalent." Edith wiped her tears and forced a smile. "Trading the voodoo doll should secure Nyterel's notebook."

"But I heard Nyterel's notebook is dangerous. The Nyterel Family involves Western demons, but its interpretation differs significantly from Christian beliefs. In this film, humans can become true demons through soul corruption. Actors might also be affected. This film is considered the most mysterious religious horror film. The notebook won't harm anyone inside the cinema, but during a horror film, even if the curse doesn't revive, it can still affect an actor's soul over time."

Edith, realizing Allen's detailed knowledge, understood immediately, "Nathan told you? She handles intelligence gathering. She mentioned the effects of Nyterel's notebook?"

"Yes, Nathan explained that since The Nyterel Family is a series involving medieval Western demons, it's filled with unknown mysteries. Its cursed objects differ from Asian-themed horror films, which emphasize karma. Nyterel's notebook contains prophecies about future centuries, more accurate than Nostradamus'. After Nyterel's death, his soul, sold to a demon, fragmented, with parts attaching to his prophetic notes. Thus, the notebook reveals future events, but using it influences the actor's soul over time."

"I did mention this to Julian. Cursed objects inherently carry risks. To survive, sacrifices must be made. Otherwise, this cinema wouldn't provide us a chance at self-preservation against ghosts. Also, remember, it's just a fragment of Nyterel's soul."

Thinking about The Nyterel Family , a rare religious horror film featuring many Western actors, Edith realized it already had two installments, with a third likely forthcoming. Everyone believed 'the Man' aimed to collect all Nyterel's relics scattered across the Twenty Degrees of Hell Cinema before the third installment.

Nyterel, burned by the Church, had prepared meticulously during the witch hunts, ensuring mediums linked to demons escaped, preserving his soul through black magic. Centuries later, he planned to reincarnate as a terrifying demon beneath Satan. The film's plot involved a 21st-century archaeological team seeking Nyterel's cursed objects, backed by his descendants.

How many cursed objects Nyterel created remains unknown. Once gathered, they allow his reincarnation to transform into a demon, regaining memories and curses.

Thus, acquiring Nyterel's demonic relics is fraught with peril. It's certain 'the Man' already possesses multiple such cursed objects, and many believe his soul is increasingly influenced by Nyterel, perhaps even transforming into 'Nyterel' himself!

As Edith pondered these thoughts, she exited the screening room. The door closed behind her.

The Azure Sea was a mid-level difficulty horror film, similar to New Neighbors . With Julian's skills, surviving shouldn't be too difficult unless something major goes wrong. Even without Nyterel's notebook, the cursed object would significantly enhance their survival chances. Additionally, they hoped to discover promising new actors in this film.

The movie began. Julian and the others were now immersed in the horror film. Meanwhile, Sam and his team from Hell's Fifth Degree Cinema were also entering.

"Let's go," Edith decided not to dwell further. "In two hours... we'll return here to welcome Julian back!"